Ⓜ️ China blocks Meta’s $2B Manus startup acquisition over security review

China’s NDRC has banned Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of Manus, citing a foreign investment security review without naming Meta. The deal, announced in December, must be canceled.

Manus develops advanced VR gloves for virtual reality, which Meta planned to use in its metaverse projects.

The ban likely responds to US chip export restrictions. Chinese authorities also barred two Manus founders from leaving.

Meta says the deal complies with laws and expects a fair outcome.

✔️@venture

SanDisk stock is up 3000% over the past year, bringing its market cap to $154B as AI demand spreads beyond Nvidia.

For most consumers, SanDisk is a USB flash drive brand. But the company also produces memory used in data centers for AI workloads.

As AI systems scale, demand for storage grows alongside compute.

✔️@venture

💰 AlphaGo creator launches $1.1B AI startup to build “superlearners”

David Silver, who led AlphaGo at DeepMind, has started Ineffable Intelligence with $1.1B in seed funding at a $5.1B valuation.

The company focuses on reinforcement learning, where AI learns through trial and error. The goal is to build systems that develop their own capabilities instead of relying on human data like large language models.

Silver argues current AI relies on human knowledge, which limits progress. Training agents inside simulations could let them learn directly from interaction and discover new solutions on their own.

✔️@venture

🗼 UAE exits OPEC to boost output as war disrupts oil markets

The UAE will leave OPEC on May 1, ending its participation in the group that coordinates oil supply. The country produces about 3% to 4% of global oil.

The decision removes production limits set by the cartel. Current quotas capped output around 3.2M barrels per day, with room to increase significantly without restrictions.

Officials say the timing is linked to the Strait of Hormuz disruption, which limits immediate market impact.

The move gives the UAE full control over production as pressure builds on OPEC unity.

✔️@venture

🤖 Anthropic hits $1 trillion valuation

Anthropic shares reached a $1 trillion valuation on the secondary market, surpassing OpenAI's $880 billion, per Forge Global.

The rise follows the Mythos deal and Pentagon tensions, boosting demand for Anthropic stock.

Its value jumped from $380 billion in February to $1 trillion, showing strong investor interest.

✔️@venture

🤖 Musk Drops Most Claims Against OpenAI, Keeps Two Worth $134B

Elon Musk cut his lawsuit against OpenAI from 26 claims to just two before jury selection started in Oakland federal court. He seeks $134 billion in damages and wants OpenAI’s non-profit status restored, plus removal of CEO Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.

OpenAI shifted from a non-profit to a commercial model, which Musk alleges involved fraud and breach of a charitable trust. The lawsuit centers on whether OpenAI misled Musk and violated its original mission.

Musk says focusing on two claims helps jurors get to the core issues. OpenAI says it looks forward to proving its case and questioning Musk under oath. The trial is set to begin soon.

✔️@venture

❤️ OpenAI models expand to AWS after exclusivity shift with Microsoft

OpenAI has made its models available to Amazon Web Services clients after ending its long-standing cloud exclusivity with Microsoft.

The models were previously limited to Microsoft Azure. Microsoft still keeps exclusive rights to OpenAI products delivered via API.

Amazon committed up to $50B to OpenAI in February, while Microsoft holds a 27% stake.

✔️@venture

📱 Meta backs space solar startup to power data centers at night

Meta signed a deal with Overview Energy to supply 1 GW of solar power using satellites. The contract size is not disclosed.

Overview plans to collect solar energy in space, convert it into infrared light, and beam it to solar plants on Earth. This allows energy delivery at any time, not just during daylight.

The company has already tested beam transmission from an aircraft. The first satellite test is planned for January 2028, with deployments for Meta closer to 2030 and a target of around 1000 satellites in geostationary orbit.

✔️@venture

🏳️‍🌈 Google signs deal to provide AI for classified Pentagon work

Google has agreed to supply its AI models for classified use by the Pentagon, joining OpenAI and xAI. Similar contracts reached up to $200M each in 2025.

The agreement allows use for any lawful government purpose on classified networks, including areas like mission planning. Google will also adjust safety filters at the government’s request.

The contract excludes domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapons without human oversight, but does not give Google control over government decisions.

✔️@venture

🤖 White House may block Anthropic’s Mythos

The White House may block Anthropic from expanding access to its AI model Mythos due to limited computing power. This could restrict the Pentagon’s ability to use Mythos.

Anthropic is on the US blacklist, barring government use of its products. The White House is drafting an order to let agencies bypass this for critical infrastructure protection.

This reflects complex politics around AI access and national security.

✔️ @venture

⚖️ Musk vs OpenAI trial begin

Elon Musk is suing OpenAI, Sam Altman, and Greg Brockman in Oakland, claiming OpenAI broke its nonprofit mission by becoming a commercial company valued at $800 billion.

Musk says he donated $38 million to a nonprofit, but the funds built a commercial entity.

Musk admitted he barely read a 2018 document on OpenAI’s structure and once called its nonprofit status a “possible mistake.”

He also tried to merge OpenAI with Tesla before cutting funding and recruiting AI talent away.

The trial continues, with Brockman expected to testify next.

✔️ @venture

⚖️ Musk’s xAI $97B OpenAI Bid Sparks Court Drama

Elon Musk’s financial manager Jared Birchall testified about a $97.4 billion bid by xAI to buy OpenAI’s nonprofit assets. The bid aimed to set a market price ahead of OpenAI’s planned IPO. Birchall claimed Sam Altman conflicted by leading both OpenAI’s commercial side and influencing asset valuation.

The court had blocked this deal’s documents before the trial, but Musk’s lawyers reopened the issue. The judge pressed Birchall, who couldn’t recall key details or Musk’s involvement. The judge noted Birchall’s shaky testimony and questioned the lawyers about who leaked the bid note.

The case may now explore possible anti-competitive behavior by Musk. The trial is ongoing.

✔️ @venture

🚀 Musk pitched $15M astronaut flights as NASA paid Russia $70M per seat

In 2008, Elon Musk said NASA would pay Russia over $70M per astronaut after the Shuttle retirement, while SpaceX aimed to do it for about $15M per person even without reusability.

At the time, SpaceX had a NASA contract for cargo missions and was seeking an additional $300M to support crew transport. Without it, Musk warned the US could lose independent human spaceflight for 5 to 6 years.

He argued the economics were clear, with the US spending around $500M per year on Russian seats versus building domestic capability.

The pitch framed SpaceX as a lower-cost alternative at a moment of dependency.

✔️ @venture

In 1997, Apple lost $1 billion.

Today? $1 billion profit every 3 days.

✔️ @venture

Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion.

YouTube now generates $1.65 billion in revenue every 15 days.

✔️ @venture

🏠 Musk rumored to tour $300M Miami mansion under construction

A $300M modern home in Miami is under construction, and brokers say Elon Musk may have visited the property, though the developer did not confirm it.

The site was bought for $105M in 2025 and flipped for $169M before being taken off the market. It is now being rebuilt into a new property with features like a 31-car garage and elevated design to handle flooding.

The house is not being marketed and will only be offered once completed, with delivery expected in about 2 years.

✔️ @venture

🛒 GameStop explores bid for eBay despite 4x size gap

GameStop is reportedly considering an offer to acquire eBay, a company with more than four times its market value.

eBay generated $11.1B in revenue last year, while GameStop reported $3.6B in net sales in 2025 and $232M in operating income. The retailer has also closed over 400 US stores this year.

The move follows CEO Ryan Cohen’s plan to pursue a large acquisition as part of a broader repositioning.

✔️ @venture

Friendly reminder this is the website of a $373.3 billion corporation.

✔️ @venture

🤖 OpenAI and Anthropic launch joint ventures for enterprise

OpenAI and Anthropic have each launched joint ventures to attract enterprise clients. Both involve private equity funds investing in a JV that deploys the startups ’AI solutions within the funds’ portfolio companies.

The funds get equity and priority access to new tech, while the startups gain corporate customers and capital.

OpenAI aims to raise $4 billion from 19 investors at a $10 billion JV valuation, offering a 17.5% guaranteed minimum return.

This aggressive approach targets rapid corporate market capture. The JV setups are also a prelude to IPOs planned by both companies.

✔️ @venture

📈 Toto stock jumps on AI demand

Toto is known for toilets, but its real growth now comes from advanced ceramics used in chip production.

The company is a key supplier of electrostatic chucks, components needed to produce NAND memory. Demand for this memory is rising fast as AI infrastructure scales.

The semiconductor unit grew 34% YoY and now brings in more than half of operating profit. After the report, the stock jumped 18% to a 5-year high.

Turns out even toilet makers can ride the AI cycle.

✔️ @venture